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Outreach Monks

SEO Slugs: What They Are and How to Optimize Them

SEO Slugs What They Are and How to Optimize Them

Slug 🐌… No, it is not this – 😀 It is the ‘name tag’ of a web page.

Although a name tag is the identity of any object or person. 

But surprisingly, this crucial ‘name tag’ often gets overlooked by many bloggers. Yet, it’s this very identity that can significantly influence your page’s SEO health.

Optimizing your slug might seem like a small task, but it’s an essential one. Think of it as giving your webpage a clear, memorable identity in the vast digital world.

Virtually, it’s not just about being found; it’s about being remembered and easily navigated back to.

Join us as we explore this often-underestimated aspect of SEO. 

You’ll be surprised how such a small part of your webpage can make a huge difference!

What is a Slug?

A slug refers to the part of a website’s address that explains the page’s content in a way that is readable by both users and search engines.

It’s the part of the URL that comes after the domain name, providing a concise description of the page’s content.

For example,

https://outreachmonks.com/saas-backlinks/

In this ‘URL’, the slug is  “saas-backlinks”.

This slug indicates that the page is likely about Link Building for SaaS.

Why Is Website Slug Important for SEO?

Website slugs play a pivotal role in SEO, acting as more than just part of your URL; they are key tools in boosting your site’s visibility and user experience.

A well-crafted slug turns a complex URL into something easy and clear. This helps users quickly grasp what your page is about, making them more likely to click and stay.

Including targeted keywords in your slug can significantly enhance your page’s search engine ranking. This is because search engines like Google use the slug to understand the content of your page.

But it’s not just about keywords and clarity. A good slug also:

  • Improves User Experience: Users often decide whether to click a link based on the URL. A clear and descriptive slug sets the right expectations, leading to a satisfied user who found what they were looking for.
  • Boosts Click-Through Rates: When your slug stands out with relevant keywords in search results, it attracts more clicks. People are drawn to URLs that directly address their search queries.
  • Supports Your SEO Strategy: Beyond individual page rankings, effective slugs contribute to your site’s overall SEO health. They are a small but significant piece of the larger SEO puzzle, helping your site gain traction in the crowded digital space.

Simple, clear, and keyword-rich slugs are the secret ingredients to making your website more accessible and attractive to both search engines and users.

What does Yoast SEO Slug Assessment do?

Understanding the ‘Keyphrase in Slug Assessment’ feature in Yoast SEO is essential for optimizing their website’s SEO performance.

This assessment checks if the focus keyphrase you’re targeting is included in the slug of your page. It’s all about ensuring alignment between your content’s main topic and your URL.

By analyzing this aspect, Yoast SEO helps you align your URL with your content’s SEO strategy. This alignment is crucial for search engine rankings.

Yoast slug SEO

So, what exactly happens during this assessment?

  1. Scanning Your Slug: Yoast SEO looks at the slug of your page and compares it with the focus keyphrase you’ve set. This is the primary step in the assessment.
  2. Determining Relevance: The tool evaluates whether your keyphrase is present in the slug. The presence of the keyphrase is a positive indicator to search engines about the relevance of your content.
  3. Feedback for Optimization: If your keyphrase isn’t in the slug, Yoast SEO will suggest you include it. This suggestion is a straightforward yet powerful way to improve your page’s SEO.

This particular assessment is a part of Yoast SEO’s comprehensive approach to optimizing your site. It ensures that each element of your page – right down to the URL slug – is fine-tuned for maximum search engine visibility.

How do you optimize your slug in WordPress?

Optimizing slugs in WordPress is a straightforward process integral to SEO and user navigation. This practice, essential for website management, ensures your URLs are both effective and functional for better online visibility and user engagement.

How to optimize your slug in WordPress

1. Include your focus keyphrase

Have you ever considered how important the words in your website’s URL can be? 

Including your focus keyphrase in your WordPress slug is like telling both search engines and visitors, ‘Hey, this is exactly what my page is about!’ 

It’s a straightforward yet powerful step in making your page easily findable and understandable.

  • Good URL Slug Example: For a page focused on ‘homemade pizza recipes’, an effective slug could be:

yourwebsite.com/homemade-pizza-recipes.

  • Bad URL Slug Example: However, a non-optimized slug lacks clear keywords and doesn’t tell users or search engines what the page is about.

yourwebsite.com/page-id123

By embedding your keyphrase in the slug, you make the URL informative and relevant, which enhances its appeal to both search engines and users looking for content on that specific topic.

2. Think about function words

When you’re crafting your slug, what do you think about function words or stop words like ‘and’, ‘or’, ‘but’? 

You might be surprised, but they’re not always necessary. In fact, it’s often better to leave them out. 

These small words don’t usually add value to your SEO and can make your URL unnecessarily long.

  • Good URL Slug Example: For an article titled “Tips and Tricks for Gardening”, a streamlined slug could be

yourwebsite.com/gardening-tips-tricks

  • Bad URL Slug Example: A less optimized slug is longer and includes unnecessary function words.

yourwebsite.com/tips-and-tricks-for-gardening

By trimming these function words from your slug, you’re making your URL cleaner and more concise. 

This not only makes it easier for users to remember and type, but it also helps search engines to focus on the important keywords, improving the clarity and effectiveness of your SEO efforts.

3. Be Descriptive

When you’re browsing online, aren’t you more likely to click on a URL that tells you exactly what to expect? That’s where being descriptive with your slug comes in. In WordPress, your slug should give a clear, concise preview of your content.

  • Good URL Slug Example: For an article about ‘tips for beginner gardeners’, a descriptive slug would be:

yourwebsite.com/beginner-gardening-tips.

  • Bad URL Slug Example: On the flip side, a vague slug doesn’t provide any clues about the content, which can be a turn-off for both users and search engines.

yourwebsite.com/blogpost1

By crafting a slug that’s descriptive, you not only enhance user experience but also improve your content’s searchability. It’s like giving your page a little introduction before the reader even clicks the link, making it more inviting and relevant.

4. Make It Concise and Easy to Read

Ever noticed how the best URLs are short and sweet? That’s exactly what your WordPress slug should be too! Making your slug concise and easy to read is like giving your page a clear, friendly signpost.

  • Good URL Slug Example: Imagine a page about ‘organic gardening tips’. A slug is short, to the point, and easy to understand.

yourwebsite.com/organic-gardening-tips

  • Bad URL Slug Example: On the other hand, following slug is overly long and confusing:

yourwebsite.com/2023/12/05/category/subcategory/organic-gardening-tips-and-tricks

A shorter slug isn’t just about brevity; it’s about clarity. A clear, concise slug makes it easier for users to remember and type, and for search engines to parse. It’s like giving directions – the clearer you are, the easier it is for someone to follow!

5. Use Lowercase Characters

Have you noticed that most URLs are in lowercase? There’s a good reason for it. When it comes to creating your WordPress slug, sticking to lowercase characters is a smart move. Why? Because URLs are case-sensitive.

  • Good URL Slug Example: Opt for something like the following slug instead of using any uppercase letters:

yourwebsite.com/gardening-tips

  • Bad URL Slug Example: A slug like below might look neat, but it can cause confusion and errors, especially if users type it in all lowercase by habit.

YourWebsite.com/Gardening-Tips

Using lowercase letters in your slugs avoids this confusion and ensures that your links always lead where they’re supposed to, no matter how someone types them.

6. Avoid Special Characters

Special characters in your URL slug can create a mess! It’s true! Characters like &, %, $, and @ can confuse both search engines and users. They make your URLs look complex and uninviting.

  • Good URL Slug Example: A clean slug is straightforward and user-friendly.

yourwebsite.com/garden-tips

  • Bad URL Slug Example: On the other hand, some slug can be off-putting due to the special characters, making it less likely to be clicked or shared.

yourwebsite.com/garden&tips%2023

Sticking to letters and hyphens keeps your slugs neat and understandable. This approach not only makes your URLs cleaner but also ensures they are easily crawlable by search engines and memorable for users.

7. Use Hyphens, Not Underscores

When creating your slug in WordPress, it’s important to use hyphens (-) instead of underscores (_). Why, you ask? Well, search engines like Google treat hyphens as space, but they don’t recognize underscores in the same way.

  • Good URL Slug Example: This slug uses hyphens, making each word distinct and easily readable by search engines.

 yourwebsite.com/fresh-fruit-smoothies

  • Bad URL Slug Example: This slug with underscores isn’t as SEO-friendly. Search engines might read it as one long word.

yourwebsite.com/fresh_fruit_smoothies 

When separating words in your slug, stick to hyphens. This small tweak can make a big difference in how search engines understand and index your page, ultimately helping your SEO.

8. Make It Future-Proof

Most bloggers have this question in mind – How to keep your WordPress slug relevant for years to come? The trick is to make it future-proof. This means avoiding dates or fleeting trends in your slug, focusing instead on timeless, enduring terms.

  • Good URL Slug Example: For an article on sustainable living tips, a future proof slug might be:

yourwebsite.com/sustainable-living-tips

  • Bad URL Slug Example: In contrast, this slug might quickly become outdated.

yourwebsite.com/2023-sustainable-tips

By choosing a slug that remains relevant regardless of time, you ensure your content continues to attract visitors long-term. It’s like picking a classic wardrobe piece over a fleeting fashion trend – it never goes out of style!

Google’s Guidelines for an Excellent Permalink

Google’s Guidelines for an Excellent Permalink

Google guidelines for permalinks were introduced with a focus on enhancing the overall user experience and search engine optimization (SEO). 

By making URLs concise, clear, and reflective of the page content, users have a better understanding of what to expect from a link, which enhances their browsing experience.

Clear, keyword-rich, and well-structured permalinks are easier for search engines to crawl and index, leading to better visibility and higher rankings in search engine results pages (SERPs).

In essence, these guidelines recommend:

  • Conciseness and Clarity: Keeping the slug short and to the point.
  • Keyword Usage: Including relevant keywords for better indexing.
  • Accurate Reflection of Content: Ensuring the slug accurately represents the page content.

Use of Hyphens for Separation: Preferring hyphens over underscores or spaces to divide words.

By following these guidelines, website creators can ensure that their permalinks are both user-friendly and optimized for search engines, contributing to a more effective online presence.

Conclusion

SEO slug is a small but mighty element of your website. It’s the bridge between user-friendly navigation and effective search engine optimization.

A well-crafted slug helps your audience and search engines alike to grasp what your page is about quickly. It’s like giving your content a clear, concise label that speaks volumes in just a few words.

Remember, a good slug incorporates relevant keywords, stays short, and mirrors the essence of your page content. This not only boosts your SEO efforts but also enhances the overall user experience on your site.

So, take a moment to refine your slugs. It’s a simple step, but it can make a significant difference in how your website performs in the vast ocean of the internet. Small slug changes can lead to big leaps in your site’s discoverability and appeal.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does an optimized SEO slug benefit my website?

An optimized SEO slug improves your site's search engine visibility, enhances user experience, and helps in better indexing of your content.

Can changing my slug affect my page’s SEO?

Yes, changing a slug can impact SEO, especially if it's already indexed. Redirects can help mitigate any negative effects.

Should I use keywords in my SEO slug?

Absolutely. Including relevant keywords in your slug can significantly improve search relevancy and SEO performance.

How long should an ideal SEO slug be?

Keep it short and sweet. Ideally, an SEO slug should be under 60 characters to ensure clarity and effectiveness.

Is it necessary to match the slug exactly with the page title?

No, it's not necessary. Slugs should be concise versions of the title, focusing on the main keywords and topic.

Ekta Chauhan

Ekta Chauhan

Ekta is a seasoned link builder at Outreach Monks. She uses her digital marketing expertise to deliver great results. Specializing in the SaaS niche, she excels at crafting and executing effective link-building strategies. Ekta also shares her insights by writing engaging and informative articles regularly. On the personal side, despite her calm and quiet nature, don't be fooled—Ekta's creativity means she’s probably plotting to take over the world. When she's not working, she enjoys exploring new hobbies, from painting to trying out new recipes in her kitchen.

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